The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-05-05
In a Peck of Troubles.

Our Democratic frien DIS are in apeck of
troubles. They are out upon political sea
without compass or rudder. They see the |
whirlpool of disaster and defeat before
them, and seem powerless to steer clear of
the abyss In State affairs they have upon
their shoulders the old man of the sea in
the shape of the State debt and the respon-
sibility of the solution of that troublesome
problem, with scarcely hope of shaking
him off. 1t is improbable, from the out
givings thus far that there will be salts
factory adjustment of the differences be-
tween the foreign commissioners and the
Legislative committee. With thata fail
ure-and we sincerely hope it may not be
they would have the tax paying coupon
to tackle and the decisions of the courts to
confront. The jeopardized public schools
would rise up in judgment against them.
The reckless and inconsiderate enact
ments impairing the Riddleberger legisla-
ton, would appear as relentless accusers.
The Mccormick Anderson Electoral bill
would raise its hideous front to invoke
the Indignation Of the fair minded people
of the State. The practical notification
of the constitutional mandate that the
Legislature shall meet only once in two
years, in converting that body at least five
times within that term-one regular, two
adjourned and two extra sessio ms, the lat
ter carrying the pay provided for the reg
ular session-giving three salaries where
| it was intended there should be but one,
will have to be explained. And it cannot
be satisfactorily disposed of by a reference
to the law authorizing these several SEES
/ sions, for there are no results to show that
the demand was extraordinary, or even
plausible, for such abuse Of power and ex-
penditure of the people 8 money. Instead
of settling any disputed questions or ad-
justing important interests needing legis-
lation, each session has ended with confu-
sion worse confounded. the Common
wealth in more disturbed and pitiable
condition, and the people more dissatisfied
disheartened than before, The record is a
frightful one for any party to bear, in the
face of people who have been SO out
| rageonsly treated.
Last, but not least, the party slogan, the
shibboleth, by which the clans were raj
lied aud their passions and preiudieea in
famed, is gone. The negro can no longer
be made the bugaboo to intimidate the
timid and alright the souls of the wayering,
x1,hi oh no Y,,o mt
The local option contests in staInton and
Rockingham, and other portions of the
State, eliminate be race question from par.
| ty contests. The unterrifed Democrats
, heretofore easily and fearfully appalled, at
the bare mention that negro had the right
to vote and have his vote counted as cast
: whether for license or against it, we're cheek
by jowl with their colored brothers and
worked hand to hand IN a common cause
All their fears of negro rule or the inAq
ence for harm Of the negro vote in palitics
or temperance we're dissipated. They
fought side by side with each other. with
out regard to color, race, or previous con
4 dition of servitude, and were ready to defeni
: theexpediency and the right of 1t at any haz
= ard. To illustrate, two colored yoters-ont
q a "weto and the other dry had fistit
t encounter on the streets Of Stanton tbs
], day after election. They were taken be
: fore the mayor apd fined $3.50 each.
t wet democrat stepped forward and said hs
would pay the fine OF the wetaoIored voter
9 A dry democrat came to the front an6
4 To ha fnt
e against the dry colored man. Each of Thu
t colored men was able and ready to pay his
7, own fine, but so closely had the canvass
g drawn the colored Republicans who votes
i wet to the white democrats who supported
i that side. and the colored Republicans whit
d had voted dry to the white Democrats VIII
8 sided with them. that the race prejndict
9 was forgotten, and their actions in thu
Il several cases demonstrated their insincer-
# ETY. and false pretense in the past. Herr
J, was the tangible evidence of the "Comint
o Reyolptlon" to WHICH we referred a feV
o weeks ago, when the rights Of the coloref
r voter would be respected and defended.
l. The hereto fore never failing democratic
:. appeal to race feeling is nov numbere,
: with the things of the past Not only il
!, the colored voter to be emancipated from
d the prejudice which has been used agains
/ him, but every man who is legally QUALIFIED
IS to vote will feel the effects, and axercsi
his right with freedom and the absence
of fear of prescription and persecution
under which many of them have in the pas
voted.
9 Then comes in the labor movement
which has dignified and inspired the man
n hood of the working classes. They nj
. longer apprehend prescription because o
q their political opinions. They know the.
!. are an organized power and can strik
. back when struck, and this conscious
!. ness has made them Indifferent to tn
q methods employed in the past to fore
them to bow to the tyranny of democratic
q rings. The string has been run out. Th
!. pressure has been lifted. II-used powe
:. has been broken. The reaction has come
= as it must always follow excuses, what
# ever they may be. The political atmos
= phere has been rariiied, and the wrong
inflicted upon the masses to make then
: do the bidding of the ring bosses, now ap
f pear in all their offensive phases.
These are troubles enough to fret an,
IS agonize the soul of the average spoilsrloy
!. ing democrat, for in them he sees his pc W
o er going ''glimmering down the dream o
i things that were'' But these are not all
n That party is without defined principle
or policy as it affects either State or Ma
t tional administration, They have resortei
i. to every sahterfuge device and political an
!. ! omaly that the ingenuity of desperate par
: tizanism could suggest, to obtain and re
q tain control of the State. They have de
d ceived the people SO often, that the greai
Q mass of them have nothing but reproaohe
Z if not curses, for the party in whose nam
: the receptions have been practiced. Fo
4 over fifteen years of Democratic rule thu
i people have been hoping against hope TO
. some relief from the oppressive and dis
! heartening influences that have rested up
: on them. But each year they have bee
1